Elections 2010

The Chosen: Jewish members in the 112th Congress

NEW YORK (JTA) — The following is a list of the 39 Jewish members — 12 senators and 27 representatives — who are expected to serve in the 112th U.S. Congress, which is set to convene in January: U.S. SENATE Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.)* Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.)** Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) Al Franken (D-Minn.) [...]

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The political career of Sen. russ Feingold, shown on the campaign trail for Barack Obama in Eau Claire, Wis., in August 2008, was marked by a fierce independence. (Phil Freedman)
The political career of Sen. russ Feingold, shown on the campaign trail for Barack Obama in Eau Claire, Wis., in August 2008, was marked by a fierce independence. (Phil Freedman)

As Feingold exits, Senate loses independent liberal

WASHINGTON (JTA) — The speech that Russ Feingold gave to end his career in the U.S. Senate was much like his career itself: by turns crystal clear, obscure, ornery, defiant and gracious — and quoting a fellow Great Plains Jew to boot. “But my heart is not weary, it’s light and it’s free, I’ve got [...]

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Providence Mayor David Cicilline, shown here welcoming the U.S. Army Band in July 2010, becomes the third openly gay Jewish member of the U.S. Congress with his Election Day victory. (Photo courtesy U.S. Army Band)
Providence Mayor David Cicilline, shown here welcoming the U.S. Army Band in July 2010, becomes the third openly gay Jewish member of the U.S. Congress with his Election Day victory. (Photo courtesy U.S. Army Band)

GOP sweep makes one Jew a star, unseats and disempowers many others

WASHINGTON (JTA) — A historic Republican sweep of the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday has propelled Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), the minority whip, to the verge of becoming the highest-ranking Jewish lawmaker in U.S. political history. “We are excited for Eric Cantor to become the next House Majority leader,” said Matt Brooks, director of [...]

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Members of the New Israel fund express their desires in two languages during Jon Stewarts Rally for Sanity in Washington, Oct. 30, 2010. NIF)
Members of the New Israel fund express their desires in two languages during Jon Stewarts Rally for Sanity in Washington, Oct. 30, 2010. NIF)

Jews at Jon stewart’s ‘sanity’ rally find plenty of like-minded

WASHINGTON (JTA) — When “Saturday Night Live” alum “Father Guido Sarducci,” delivering the benediction at Jon Stewart’s Rally to Restore Sanity, ran through a list of religions seeking the true faith, Judaism received the biggest applause. That didn’t surprise Rivka Burstein-Stern. “There were a lot of Jews there,” she said of Saturday’s rally. “But when [...]

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U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor, shown speaking at the 2009 General assembly of the Jewish Federations of North American, is poised to shepherd the GOP to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. (Robert A. Cumins/ Jewish Federations of North America)
U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor, shown speaking at the 2009 General assembly of the Jewish Federations of North American, is poised to shepherd the GOP to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. (Robert A. Cumins/ Jewish Federations of North America)

Cantor could help GOP take over the House, but can he win over the Jews?

WASHINGTON (JTA) – Eric Cantor has spent a lifetime relishing wearing the other hat. Among Jews, the Republican congressional whip from Richmond, Va., likes to play the genteel Southern conservative, the posture that won over his wife, a socially liberal banker from New York. Among southerners, he’s the nice Jewish boy who belongs to an [...]

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Activist Ed Rosenthal, shown in an undated photo in a marijuana greenhouse, says "Jews have a special affinity to marijuana." photo courtesy of Ed Rosenthal)
Activist Ed Rosenthal, shown in an undated photo in a marijuana greenhouse, says "Jews have a special affinity to marijuana." photo courtesy of Ed Rosenthal)

Plenty of Jews on board California’s bid to legalize marijuana

OAKLAND, Calif. (JTA) — Ed Rosenthal has been working to legalize marijuana in California since he moved to the state in 1972. Vindication may finally be at hand for the Bronx-born former yippie. On Nov. 2, California voters will consider Proposition 19, a ballot initiative to legalize the cultivation and possession of small amounts of [...]

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Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is facing Tea-Party challenger Sharron Angle. (Brian Finifter)
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is facing Tea-Party challenger Sharron Angle. (Brian Finifter)

Unifying factor in 2010 election: never before

WASHINGTON (JTA) — Talk to veteran campaign watchers about this year’s congressional races, and within seconds they will tell you that they’ve never before seen elections quite like these. “We’ve never seen a cycle where there’s been this many races this close to an election and you don’t know how it’s going to come out,” [...]

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Jan Schakowsky
Jan Schakowsky

In a race of Jewish candidates, the challenger targets Schakowsky on Israel

WASHINGTON (JTA) — Joel Pollak has traveled from liberal to conservative in his young lifetime, and now he hopes to take Chicago’s storied Lakefront with him. The Harvard Law School graduate, 32, is running a quixotic campaign against U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), who has held the seat since 1999, winning 75 percent majorities in [...]

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